The U.S. Department of Education has released its framework for the 2025–26 FAFSA Testing Period, which starts Oct. 1.
Jeremy Singer
The testing period leads up to the Dec. 1 open window for the 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), available to all students and contributors.
The Department plans to work with community-based organizations (CBOs), high schools, institutions of higher education, states, and limited groups of students and contributors who can fill out and submit a beta test interest form.
CBOs can submit a form to express interest in participating in the first beta, Beta 1, through Sept. 5. Beta 1 launches Oct. 1 to identify and resolve any system errors that can derail students, contributors, and institutions.
The testing is part of the Department’s redress of challenges during the 2024-25 FAFSA cycle that included several delays and subsequent issues in how applications were processed.
The Department plans to work with other types of organizations and institutions, in addition to CBOs, to recruit participants in subsequent beta tests.
